FAQs
What is “Words That Made America 3”?
Words That Made America 3 (WTMA3) is a professional development program for U.S. history teachers in Hayward, San Leandro and San Lorenzo. It is funded by a federal ‘Teaching American History’ grant. The focus of the program is on developing knowledge and understanding of U.S. history, and the ability to build that content knowledge into classroom practice. The program has been working with elementary, middle and high school teachers in eight Alameda County school districts since 2004.
WTMA3 is built on the premise that understanding the modern U.S. is best done through interpretation of primary sources drawn from the course of its history. The “words that made America” are found in the writings, speeches, poetry and diaries of both extraordinary and ordinary people as they struggled to define and shape a nation living up to the potential embodied in its core principles of freedom, equality and democracy. We believe that knowledge and understanding of these words give students a better sense of their nation’s values and priorities, the problems we face, and how we can address those problems. Students who develop a sound understanding of the evolution of the United States and learn the process of historical analysis are better prepared for active civic involvement in contemporary society.
What will the Lesson Study Design Team (LSDT) program be like?
The LSDT program is the most intensive of several that constitute WTMA3. Members become part of a highly collegial group of history teachers, both K-12 and university-level, collaborating over two-plus years to build their knowledge and expertise in history and history teaching/learning. Each component of the LSDT program – school year release-day sessions, summer institutes, and on-site work – is framed by the three issues a teacher inevitably faces in developing an effective and meaningful class experience for students: what to teach, how to organize that material, and how to teach it. LSDT members receive intensive training in all three areas.
The LSDT program begins with an introductory two-day workshop and a five-day institute during the summer of 2011. It continues for two full years of quarterly release days, direct on-site support, and additional five-day summer institutes. Participants engage in intensive historical study with scholars from our partnering institutions (CSU East Bay and the Martin Luther King Institute at Stanford University). Partners at the UC Berkeley History-Social Science Project and the National Archives teach us effective strategies to support reading of primary sources in the classroom. We also map out whole course curriculum plans that incorporate thematic strands to run throughout the school year. In the spring of 2012, we will begin doing lesson study, the heart and soul of our program. Lesson study is an integrated protocol by which teams of teachers: research and create a lesson based on primary sources; observe one team member’s students as s/he teaches the lesson, in order to assess how effectively the lesson elicits desired student thinking and activity; and, modify the lesson based on reflections upon the lesson observations and student work produced. Through this research, one learns a great deal about history teaching and learning that can be applied every day in the classroom.
What are my obligations if I choose to join?
There are only four:
- to attend one 2-day workshop (June 20-21) and one 5-day institute (Aug. 15-19) in the summer of 2011 and one week summer institutes in following summers, for which I will receive stipends at extended hour rates
- to engage in lesson study during quarterly release day meetings (we provide the subs) and for approximately six additional hours during each semester (paid time)
- to share what you learn with others at your site and elsewhere
- to fill out an occasional survey (longer ones will be paid) that we use to improve the program.
What are the benefits if I choose to join?
In order to honor teacher commitment to and involvement in the program, WTMA3 offers a wide variety of benefits to those who participate. All who attend WTMA3 programming share opportunities to build collegial relationships with fellow teachers and with university faculty. For many history teachers, this is the one chance to receive ongoing professional development in their discipline, with both immediate returns (such as classroom lessons) and long-term benefits (for example, in terms of content knowledge and curriculum development skill).
LSDT members receive additional support for their work:
- Substantial stipend of approximately $1500 per year
- Graduate credit (optional) and salary increment credit
- Materials for individual professional library (also for Book Club participants)
- Conference registrations
- Travel opportunities
- Membership in professional organizations
- Subscriptions to professional journals
- Public recognition, in WTMA3 forums, from colleagues and the broader community
- Opportunities to take on leadership roles in schools, districts, and beyond
What kind of workload will be associated with being on a Lesson Study Design Team?
There will be little or no “homework”. Our approach is to do work in our sessions that you would be doing anyway, in an environment where you can do so with guidance and collaboration. We will provide you with elective readings and other things to do to enrich your learning, but rarely will it be required. More common will be suggestions to “try things out” in your classes, which we figure you’ll be itching to do anyway.
Must I make a commitment to participate for the duration of the program?
There is no way that we can, or would, require such a commitment. However, participation for the full length of the program will have clear benefits, and we do hope that those applying would be planning to stay on for the duration. Of course, things change, so we know that some participants will inevitably leave us earlier. We’ll do all we can to make sure the program is so good that people will only do so out of necessity!
Can Social Studies teachers not teaching U.S. History join the LSDT program?
Without getting into detail: YES!! Contact the Project Director, Avi Black, for more info.
Can I participate in other WTMA activities while in the LSDT program? I enjoy the “Meet the Scholars” series and want to do this, too, but I don’t want to give that up and doing both would be too time-consuming – what should I do?
There’s no limit on participating except as your schedule permits. We’ve designed the schedule to allow for this. If you’re interested in the LSDT, though, it’s the “gold standard” of the program – it has the content AND the rest. Join the LSDT, and come to other sessions as you can. Remember, too: the other sessions will continue on for two more years, but joining the LSDT later on may not be possible!
